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1. A, Cow/AN.

TRACTOR.

APPUCATION FLED NOV. 23, l.

mamma ntoud June 10, 1919.

2 SHEETSAHEET'I.

/NVEN TOR. W jaw? fi 50M/aff.' Aff' w f 7 (if "4 u NM A TTORNEY TRACTOR. Y APiLlCAl'ION FILED NOV. 23. 19|?.

Patented June 10, "19192 'l QSGSG@ 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IN VEN TOR. 60x/mf?.

TTONE 5 fao TS @At siero JOHN A. COWN, OF KANSS CITY, MISSOURI.

TRACTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June Zw, 15319.

Application led November 23, 1917. Serial No, 203,535.

Toall whom t may concern Be it known'that l, JOHN A. Cowan, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented Certain new and useful mprovemcnts in rlractors; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinrention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to malrc and use the same, reference being had to thmicconipanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to tractors, and more particularly to tractorsemploying a caterpillar tread for increasing the edcctive traction surface of the machine; the principal object of the invention being to provide a tractor of this character particularly adapted for operation between closely spaced rpws of grain, and for facilitating turning of the device in a small space which heretofore, due to the extended tread of the caterpillar belt, has been a difficult matter.

It is a further object of the invention to provide improvements in frame construction whereby the mot-or mechanism maybe suspended suiiiciently toeliminate yany tendency to overbalance the device, and additional means for preventing tipping should the machine become overbalanced while operating on a sloping surface.

In accomplishing these objects, l have provided improved details of structure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein :k

Figure I is a side elevation of a tractor constructed according to the present invention.

Fig, II is a sectional plan view of the same on the line H-II, Fig. I.

Fig. III is aside view of the tractor, with the outer frame shown in section, illustrating the mounting of the interior frame.

Fig. IV is a transverse vertical section on the line IV-V, Fig. III. Fig. V is a similar section on the line V-V, Fig. Ul. n

Fig. VI is an enlarged detail view of a Referring more in detail to the drawings: 1 designates the main or outer frame of the device, which is preferably of .cliannel iron construction, and comprises a rearend wheel fork 8 seated against the base of the i bearing is a fork stem 9, adapted for piv0ting in the bearing to eiiect steering of the fork, and revolubly mounted between 'the forwardly curved legs 10 of the fork on an axle 11 is a ground wheel 12, which not only supports the front of the' frame but also is under control of the operator-to effect steering of the tractor.

Adjacent the rea'i end of the frame is a transverse shaft 13, the ends of which' are seated in sockets-M at transversely opposite sides of the frame and held therein by overlying plates 15 bolted to the frame rails. Reif'olubly mounted on the said"shaft is a drum 16 which supports the rear end of the frame.

Pivotally supported by the cross shaft 13 at opposite endsof the drum 16 are the side rails 17.-17 of a rectangular frame 18 that is located within the outer frame 1 and comprises the side rails 17-17 and front and rear connecting rails 19-19. f

At its forward end the frame 18 is supported by a drum 20 revol'ublymounted between the rails 17-17. on a transverse shaft 21 and in alinement with the drum 16, and extending about said drum is acaterpillar tread belt 22 whereon the weight of the Inachine is placed. l

ln its preferred construction the belt comprises a plurality of links 23, pivotally connected by transverse pins 24, each link com-4 prising spaced side members 25-having apertured ears 26-27 at their opposite sides which are adapted to register between similar ears of preceding and following links to receive the connecting between each of the side members of each link is la transmission rib 28 which serves as pins, and extending a traction shoe toprevent slipping of the the upper end of terior frame, a threaded shaft extending ver# tieally through said arch beam having connection at its lower end with said interior frame, a Gear wheel threaded onto said bolt and seated on said yoke and means for revolving said gear wheel to actuate the bolt to raise or lower the free end of said interior frame for the purpose set forth.

2. In a tractor, an exterior' frame having a steering wheel mounted at and supporting its forward end, a transverse shaft mounted adjacent the rear end of said frame, a drum mounted on the said shaft and supporting the frame at its rearward end, an interior frame supported at its rearward end on said shaft, a drum mounted at the forward end of the interior frame in alinement with the first named drum, a traction belt extended over said drums, arch beams mounted transversely on the exterior frame, a threaded shaft extending vertically through one of said arch beams havinof connection at its lower end with the free end of said interior frame, a gear wheel threaded onto the upper end of said shaft and seated on said arch beam, a shaft revolubly carried by said arch beams operatively connected with said gear wheel at one end, and means for actuating the shaft to revolve'the gear wheelto raise or lower the free end of the 1 interior frame.

mounted on the said shaft and supporting the frame at its rearward end, an interior frame supported at its rearward end'on said sha-ft, a drum mounted at the forward end of the interior frame in aliiienient with the first named drum, a traction belt extended over said drums, a motor suspended from the interior frame. between the drums and operatively connected therewith, arch beams mounted transversely 011 the exterior frame, a yoke mounted transversely on the interior frame at its free end, a shaft attached to said yoke and extended vertically through one of the said archv beams, a gear wheel threaded onto said'shaft and seated against the upper face of said arch beam,

a shaft revolubly carried by said arch beajii'is' and operable from theeterior o f said tractor and having worin/'e imection with said f, gear wheel and whereby the latter may ber revolved to raise andi/'lower the freev end of` the interior frame for the purpose set forth. In testimony whereof I afix my'signature.

JOHN A. COWAN. 

